Facing structure for cabinets and the like



Oct. 13, 1970 I cs. (.2. HILFINGER ETAL 3vQ FACING STRUCTURE FOR CAB INETS AND THE'LIKE and Oct. 16. 1967 INVENTORSI Esme DHILPINQL'R ATTys.

1 BY DEANAE'AsTaN. I I

United States Patent 3,533,672 FACING STRUCTURE FOR CABINETS AND THE LIKE George C. Hilfinger, Toledo, Ohio, and Dean A. Gaston, Pleasant Lake, Mich., assignors, by direct and mesne assignments, to Wesley Industries, Inc., Toledo, Ohio,

a corporation of Ohio Filed Oct. 16, 1967, Ser. No. 675,566 Int. Cl. A47b 47/02 US. Cl. 312-263 13 Claims ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE A facing structure is designed to be added to the front of existing kitchen cabinets for remodeling purposes. The facing structure consists of die-cast corner members and splicing members joining with extruded elongate frame members which can be cut to any desired length. The corner and splicing members are equipped with tangs which are received in channels of the extruded members to provide a smooth connection therebetween. The corner and splicing members have openings through which fasteners are extended to secure the corner and splicing members to the existing face of a cabinet to provide a new appearance therefor. The facing structure, including doors, are preferably pre-assembled and then afixed to the cabinet as a unit.

This invention relates to a facing structure for remodeling cabinets and the like and particularly kitchen cabinets.

As suitable homesites have become scarcer and more expensive, a trend in remodeling existing houses has increased. One of the first rooms in a house to be remodeled usually is the kitchen, perhaps because the outdated appearance of a house interior is often most obvious in a kitchen, and also because the most influential member of the family spends a substantial amount of her time there. The usual remodeling procedure in a kitchen consists in tearing out all of the existing cabinets and replacing them in their entirety. Actually, in the outdated cabinets, only the doors and adjacent cabinet front really need replacement, particularly because these are the main portions of the cabinets which are visible. The replacement of the entire cabinets including the cabinet shells and shelves, is not only unnecessary, but expensive. Further, particularly with older cabinets, the shells and shelves usually are of heavy and sturdy construction and result in being replaced with shells and shelves of lightweight, cheaper construction. Also, the new shells and shelves are usually prefabricated and may need substantial shimming or reworking to fit properly against the walls of an older house which are often not straight, plumb, or square. Hence, replacement of the entire cabinets is not only expensive but less satisfactory and lower quality cabinets may be the result.

The present invention provides an improved cabinet facing structure which can be afiixed directly to the front of an existing cabinet quickly and easily, with the only preliminary work being removal of the existing doors. The new facing structure includes corner and splicing members which are of die-cast construction and which connect with extruded frame members through a tang and channel arrangement providing a smooth and secure connection between the components. The corner and splicing members have openings through which screws are extended to aflix these members directly to the existing cabinet face when assembled with the extruded frame members. The extruded frame members can be cut to any desired length so that the components can be used with existing cabinets of almost any size. The extruded frame members are employed over the front of existing side, top and bottom frame members of the cabinet shell and the same members can be used as intermediate members over any rails and stiles of the cabinets. The corner members, of course, are employed at the corners of the cabinets whereas splicing members in the shape of Ts or crosses are employed where rails and stiles intersect or meet the edge frame members.

The various components of the facing structure are designed to properly cover the exposed front edges of almost any cabinet shell and provide a smooth, new appearance without the necessity of replacing any of the cabinet components other than the doors. The metal components of the facing structure also will not warp and cannot easily be chipped, dented, or otherwise damaged. Further, the components can be provided with a suitable permanent finish of baked epoxy enamel, for example, which will either match or contrast with new doors to be added. Existing drawers of the cabinets also can be remodeled either by replacing the drawers entirely or by replacing the fronts thereof. The facing structure according to the invention is particularly suitable for use with doors of the type shown in Hilfinger et al. application, Ser. No. 609,972 filed Dec. 2, 1966 now abandoned. Also, a drawer or drawer front of the type shown in Hilfinger et al. application, Ser. No. 622,495 filed Mar. 13, 1967, now Pat No. 3,416,850, can be used effectively with the facing construction of the invention, particularly when the above doors are used.

It is, therefore, a principal object of the invention to provide an improved facing structure for facilitating remodeling of cabinets and the like, and particularly kitchen cabinets.

Numerous other objects and advantages of the invention will be apparent from the following detailed description of a preferred embodiment thereoffreference being made to the accompanying drawings, in which:

FIG. 1 is a view in perspective of a base cabinet to be remodeled, with the doors removed;

FIG. 2 is a view in perspective of the cabinet of FIG. 1 with cabinet facing structure embodying the invention affixed thereto;

FIG. 3 is a view in perspective of a corner member of the facing structure;

FIG. 4 is a view in cross section taken along the line 4-4 of FIG. 3;

FIG. 5 is a view in perspective of an extruded frame member of the facing structure; and

FIG. 6 is a view in perspective, with parts broken away, of another juncture of two frame members.

Referring to FIG. 1, a base cabinet 10 with the doors removed is of a type commonly found in a kitchen and is ready for remodeling. The cabinet 10 includes sides 12 and 14, a top 16, and a bottom 18. The sides 12 and 14 terminate in front, side frame members 20 and 22; the top terminates in a front, top frame member 24; and the bottom terminates in a front, bottom frame member 26. An intermediate frame member or stile 28 extends vertically between the upper and lower frame members 24 and 26 while two horizontal intermediate frame members or rails 30 extend between the stile 28 and the side frame members 20 and 22. Additional horizontal frame members 32 extend between the stile 28 and the frame member 22. The stiles and rails form a door opening 34, drawer openings 36 and 38, and lower drawer openings 40, the drawers also having been removed. Removal of the doors and drawers is all the preparation needed to prepare the existing cabinets for remodeling.

For this purpose, a cabinet facing structure 42, as shown in FIG. 2, is employed. The facing structure includes die-cast joint members in the form of corner members 44, T-shaped splicing members 46, and cross-shaped splicing members 48. These connect or join extruded edge frame members 50 and intermediate frame members 51 which complete the structure. Where doors are used, a door 52 preferably is hinged to one of the side extruded members 50 before the whole structure 42 is assembled with the cabinet 10.

Referring to FIGS. 3 and 4, the corner frame member 44 includes a square front panel 53 and outer edge flanges 54 and 56. Split connecting tangs 58 and 60 extend outwardly from the inner edges of the panel 53 at mutually perpendicular angles to connect the corner member 44 to the extruded frame members 50. Each of the tangs 58 and 60 has an inner and outer series of tabs 62 and 64 which enable a secure connection to be effected.

The front panel 53 of the corner member 44 has a central fastener opening 66 therein with a recess 68 to receive a flat-headed screw 70. This is projected through the opening 66 and turned into the existing front frame of the cabinet to affix the corner member 44 securely thereto. If desired, the back of the front panel 53 can have two punch marks die-cast therein which serve to locate the fastener opening 66 in either of two positions, the opening then being drilled in the field and the recess 68 formed by counter-sinking. It has been found that with one punch mark in the center of the panel and one halfway between this mark and the outer corner, the corner members and the structure 42 can be properly fastened to most existing cabinets. Where possible, the center mark is used for the opening 66 because the fastener will then be covered by the door 52. If the screwhead is exposed beyond the perimeter of the door, it can be covered by suitable means. As shown in FIG. 4, a pair of narrow recesses 72 are diametrically opposite across the opening 66 and are positioned to receive tangs 74 of an escutcheon plate or cover 76 with the tangs 74 pushed into the recesses 72 after the fastener 70 has been turned in place. In another embodiment, the screwhead can have a small tapped hole into which a small screw, aflixed centrally toan escutcheon plate, is threaded. With this arrangement, the corner member needs no special provisions for the plate, such as the recesses 72. To provide strength and depth for the fastener hole and the recesses 72, the front panel 53 can have a central boss 78 extending rearwardly therefrom. The members 46 and 48 have the same flanges, tangs, and fastener openings as the corner members 44 and will not be discussed in detail.

One of the extruded edge frame members 50 is shown in more detail in FIG. 5. This member includes a front elongate panel 80 having outer edge flanges 82 and 84 extending back from the panel 80 a distance equal to the width of the outer edge flanges 54 and 56. The member 50 further has an intermediate flange 86 extending the same distance as the flanges 82 and 84. The flanges 82, and 84 normally contact the face of the existing cabinet. However, if the cabinet is not square and the flange 84 lies slightly beyond the edge, the flange 86 will still contact the cabinet face to provide a supporting base for the extruded frame member 50. The flanges 82 and 86 have inwardly extending flanges 88 and 90 which form a tang-receiving channel 92 for the tangs 58 and 60. Ridges 94 on the flanges provide a more secure connection for the tangs.

The intermediate frame members 51 are somewhat similar to the edge frame members 50 except that only two flanges are employed instead of three. Here, outer flanges 96 and 98 (FIG. 6) extend rearwardly and have intermediate flanges 100 and 102 extending toward one another to form channels for the tangs of the T-shaped and cross-shaped members.

In assembling the facing structure 42 to the front of a cabinet, the entire structure including doors is preferably pre-assernbled at the factory and shipped as a unit to the site. However, especially on odd size cabinets,

the components can be fastened individually. In such an instance, one of the corner or splicing members can be aflixed to the front of the cabinet at the appropriate position. The adjacent frame members 50 are then cut to length and assembled with the appropriate connecting tangs of the corner or splicing member. The next corner or splicing member is then assembled With the frame member and aflixed to the cabinet front with the fastener 70 in the same manner as the first frame member. This procedure is repeated until the entire facing structure 42 is assembled with the cabinet front. The drawers or drawer fronts are also added to complete the structure.

In a preferred form, the panels 53 are two inches square and the front panel of the frame member 50 is two inches wide, which enables the structure to accommodate most existing cabinets and cover the fronts thereof. If the corner and splicing members and the frame members are wider than the corresponding front members of the cabinet, the edges of the facing members adjacent the side panels 12 and 14 and the top 16 are preferably placed flush therewith. In this manner, if the members project slightly into the door and drawer openings 3440, this will not affect the functioning of the cabinet. However, the lower frame members adjacent the bottom preferably are placed so that the inner edges contiguous with the door openings are placed flush with the cabinet bottom so as not to impair the removal of items from the cabinets. By using overlay types of doors as shown in the aforementioned application, Ser. No. 609,972, the size of the door openings is not critical. Further, if desired, new drawer guides can be assembled with the cabinet structure to accommodate new drawers as constructed in the aforementioned application Ser. No. 622,495.

At some ju'nctures of the facing structure 42, it may be desirable not to use the T-shaped or cross-shaped members 46 or 48. An instance where this occurs is at the junctions of the intermediate frame members 51 covering the cabinet rails 32. Here, numerous ones of the T- shaped members 46 would tend to mar the smooth appearance of the facing structure 42 as well as increase the number of assembly operations. In such an instance, a pair of serrated fasteners or shanks 104 can be employed as a substitute, as shown in FIG. 6. Here, the shanks 104 extend into the end portions of the channels formed by the flanges and 102 and are staked therein. Suitable openings 106 are then drilled in the inner flanges 82 of the side frame members 50 with the shanks extending therethrough and being staked to the short portions of the adjacent inwardly-directed flanges 88. While the resulting junctions are not as strong as those achieved with the T-shaped or cross-shaped members, they need not bear the weight of the drawers for the openings since such drawers are supported on existing drawer guides or suitable new drawer guides if required.

Various modifications of the above embodiment of the invention will be apparent to those skilled in the art, and it is to be understood that the designs of the facing structure are subject to wide variation.

We claim:

1. In combination, a cabinet having a front frame with a forwardly-facing front surface, said frame defining a door opening, a facing structure atfixed to said surface and comprising a plurality of corner members, a plurality of frame members connected between said corner members, said corner members covering corner front surfaces of said cabinet frame and said frame members covering intermediate portions of the front surface of said cabinet frame, said corner members being of die-cast metal and said frame members being of extruded metal, some of said corner and said frame members having openings therethrough, and fastener means extending through said openings and aflixing said members to the front surface of said cabinet to cover all of the front surface.

2. The combination according to claim 1 characterized further by a door hinged to one of said frame members and pre-assembled therewith.

3. The combination according to claim 2 characterized by said openings in said members being in said corner members, and said fasteners being covered by escutcheon plates affixed to said corner members.

4. The combination according to claim 3 characterized by said corner members having tangs and said frame members having channels, at least in the ends thereof, to receive said tangs.

5. The combination according to claim 4 characterized by said frame members having intermediate flanges forming said channels and having edge flanges at least as wide as said channel flanges.

6. In combination, a cabinet having a rectangular front frame with a forwardly-facing front surface, said front frame defining a door opening, a facing structure aflixed to said surface and comprising a plurality of corner members and a plurality of elongate frame members connected between said corner members, said corner members being of a size sufl'icient to cover corner front surfaces of said cabinet front frame, and said elongate frame members having a width and length sufficient to cover the intermediate portions of the front surface of said front frame, said elongate frame members having channels extending the length thereof, and said corner members having mutually perpendicular tangs received in said channels, said corner members having openings extending therethrough, fastener means extending through said openings and affixing said corner members to said front surface of said cabinet frame, and a door hinged to one of said elongate frame members.

7. The combination according to claim 6 characterized by said corner members and said elongate frame members having rearwardly extending flanges terminating in a common plane.

8. A method of remodeling a wooden cabinet including a cabinet shell having a front frame forming at least one door opening, and a door attached to the front frame and closing the opening, which method includes the steps of removing the existing door from the cabinet front frame; preparing a new cabinet facing structure which includes providing elongate frame members corresponding to portions of the existing front frame of the cabinet and having a width sufiicient to cover the corresponding portions of the front frame, providing joint members for the positions where the frame members otherwise intersect and of a size and shape to cover the corresponding portions of the front frame, and assembling the frame members and the joint members to form the facing structure; hinging a new door to the cabinet facing structure; and assembling the frame and the cabinet facing structure by affixing said cabinet facing structure to the existing cabinet front frame by extending fasteners through openings in at least some of said joint members, and connecting said fasteners to said existing cabinet front frame.

9. A facing structure according to claim 6 characterized further by escutcheon plates for said corner members to cover said openings.

10. A facing structure according to claim 9 characterized by said escutcheon plates having prongs and said corner members having recesses adjacent said fastener openings to receive said prongs to affix said escutcheon plates to said corner members.

11. A facing structure according to claim 6 characterized by at least one intermediate member and a T-shaped splicing member for connecting said intermediate member to said frame members.

12. A facing structure according to claim 6 characterized by at least two mutually perpendicular intermediate members, and a cross-shaped frame member connecting said intermediate members.

13. A facing structure according to claim 6 characterized by said corner members being of die-cast metal and said frame members being of extruded metal.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 3,044,656 7/1962 Combs et al. 312-257.5 X 3,074,772 1/ 1963 Kessler et a1 312204 3,087,768 4/ 1963 Anderson et al 312257 3,181,923 5/1965 Guillon et al 312-263 X 3,304,108 2/1967 Hamilton et al. 52--656 3,363,390 l/l968 Crane et al 52-716 3,380,218 4/1968 Fabich 52656 FOREIGN PATENTS 1,261,330 4/ 1961 France. 1

JAMES T. McCALL, Primary Examiner 

